Kazakhstan to host Iranian nuclear talks

BRUSSELS, Feb. 5 (UPI) -- The European Union agreed to have nuclear talks with Iranian officials Feb. 26 in Kazakhstan, a statement from an EU foreign policy official said.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad arrived Tuesday in Cairo to meet with Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi. Iran had said Cairo was a possible venue for multilateral nuclear negotiations.

Iran has suggested it was ready to resume talks with members of the international community over its nuclear program. U.S. Vice President Joe Biden said Washington was ready provided Tehran took negotiations seriously.

A statement from EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton's office said Kazakhstan agreed to host talks between Iran and the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, which Europe refers to as the E3+3.

"Helga Schmid, deputy secretary-general of the European External Action Service, agreed today with Dr. Ali Bagheri, deputy secretary of the supreme national security council of Iran, that the next round of talks between the E3+3 and Iran on Iran's nuclear program will take place in Almaty, Kazakhstan on Feb. 26," the message read.

Inspectors with the International Atomic Energy Agency said parts of Iran's nuclear program may have a military dimension. Iran says the program is for peaceful purposes.

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